Our Amazing Board & Advisors
MEET THE BOARD
The Board of Farms for Food Equity is a dedicated team of leaders committed to building stronger food systems and ensuring food security across Maine. Bringing together diverse expertise and a shared passion for community, they guide our mission and help drive lasting impact. Learn more about each member’s background, experience, and the unique perspective they bring to our work below.
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PRESIDENT
Fourth-generation farmer Penny Jordan has made a career of nourishing her community. She and her three siblings—Bib (Bill Jr), Carol, and Pam—have not only maintained their inheritance, William H. Jordan Farm in Cape Elizabeth, but they have made its produce an ever-present staple of the local cuisine. A bounty of vegetables draws residents to their farm stand, local chefs serve their heirloom roots on top-dollar plates, and their beans feed patrons at soup kitchens in nearby Portland.
Penny’s dream is to make a difference in the lives of people who are experiencing hunger and at the same time grow Maine agriculture. Penny feels these amazing people gathered on the Board of Farms for Food Equity can help achieve those dreams.
“You never change things by changing the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing obsolete” - R.Buckminster Fuller
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TREASURER
Ken retired after forty years in the food business here in Maine. One of the things Ken most enjoyed was working with small businesses helping to bring their products to market. Ken is excited to bring his experience to Farms for Food Equity in our quest to help alleviate food insecurity by working with farmers to be more productive and prosperous here in Maine.
Over 20 years ago Ken had the opportunity to hear George Mitchell speak about the work he did in Ireland to get peace in that country. At the end of his talk, he asked for questions. Ken says the question and answer that stood out to him over all these years was: "If you could do one thing in the world to make people stop fighting, what would it be. His answer was: "Give everyone a job!!"
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SECRETARY
Steve states that he was very fortunate to have had a career he enjoyed, a close-knit family, and live in a place I love. Steve says the best part was he got to share all this with my best friend.
Steve feels that with good fortune comes the responsibility to give back. Steve has immersed himself in many projects over the past several years and has gained an understanding of Maine agriculture and the issues surrounding food insecurity.
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” - Albert Einstein
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Judy joined the Board of Farms for Food Equity (FFE) with 20 years of experience working in land conservation in Maine. She is passionate about conservation, supporting local farmers and local economies, gardening, and anything having to do with plants and the natural world. She started the Hancock Community Garden in 2013, while president of the local land trust in the area, providing residents the place and opportunity to grow their own food. She is very excited to be a part of the FFE organization, working to provide local, healthy food for all Mainers while ensuring that farmers are paid equitably for their products. Judy strongly believes that every state should have a thriving farming community providing fresh food to its residents which is healthier for humans and the planet as a whole, and is very happy to be living in a state with a thriving farming community.
Now I see the secret of making the best person: it is to grow in the open air and eat and sleep with the earth. - Walt Whitman
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Anne Carney serves in the Maine Senate, representing District 29 (South Portland, Cape Elizabeth and part of Scarborough), and is Senate Chair of the Judiciary Committee and the Joint Rules Committee. She is a member of the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee as well. Anne’s path to the State House started with a group project called “The Two Maines,” focusing on agriculture as an opportunity to build economic and cultural unity in Maine. Exploring the many ways agriculture connects us to each other helped Anne see Maine in new ways and made her eager to serve our state.
Everything else you need to know about Anne can be summed up in the name of her family’s favorite meal: “the bounty of Maine.” The meal could be a big stir-fry of local vegetables, homemade veggie-delight pizzas, or lobster with Maine Grains cornbread. Anne's family loves to cook and eat together, and are grateful that farmers in Cape and throughout Maine grow the food that sustains us. Farms For Food Equity will make sure all Mainers enjoy the bounty of Maine’s zucchini, corn, strawberries, and other harvests, and that our farms continue to play their vital role in our state.
“When Penny told me about Farms For Food Equity, I instantly saw the connections between her focus on feeding people and keeping Maine farms vital and the work we are doing in Augusta to end hunger in Maine, protect our environment, and promote Maine agriculture. I asked if I could help and was thrilled when Penny said yes!”
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VICE PRESIDENT
John is owner and President of Rosemont Market and Bakery. He and his partner opened their first market in Portland in 2005 with the goal of connecting people in the local community to seasonal foods, grown locally. With the support of their customers and local farmers and producers, they have built a business that now supports 180 employees operating six neighborhood food markets, as well as a bakery, production kitchen, and warehouse.
Building support for local farms and making available delicious, nutritious food from right here where we live is John’s life passion. John and Penny Jordan have been friends for many years. They have now teamed up with a vision to provide healthy quality foods to people experiencing food insecurity and to continue to find ways to ensure the vitality of Maine agriculture.
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Gus Bradley is a tax senior at Baker Newman Noyes. Originally from Cincinnati, he became involved with agriculture by working as a vegetable picker at William H. Jordan Farm after he moved to Maine. His time working with Penny Jordan demonstrated to him the importance of local agriculture and the challenges faced by family farms. He also gained an understanding of how food loss impacts farms and wants to help reduce the significant portion of food that is grown but remains in the field even though it is perfectly safe and healthy. As an out-of-state transplant, Gus wanted to give back to the community that has welcomed him over the past three years, and serving as a board member for Farms for Food Equity has allowed him to do so while merging his professional expertise and his first-hand experience working with Penny.
"I’m a numbers guy” - Gus Bradley
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Rev. Dr. Fran Bagdasarian is a community organizer, Ordained Interfaith Minister and registered nurse. With thirty years experience bridge building and serving the wider community through the process of reflection and community service. After seeing an FFE presentation, she was drawn to this passionate group of people and their vision.
Fran spent a long run through theology school culminating in a doctoral degree and project work in the topic of Sacred Activism. From that body of knowledge, she brings leadership talents and creative power to nonprofit organizations that serve human welfare. Most recently she served in the Rotary Club of South Portland /Cape Elizabeth; both locally and on the district level as an Assistant Governor. Currently she is part of the integrative therapies team at the Dempsey Center, where she offers comfort and support to clients living with cancer.
“I have great respect for the beauty and abundance of nature. I wish to be a good steward to the land. This is not only for the nourishment farms provide, but also for the visual beauty they bring to every town.” — my thoughts
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Lee comes to FFE with 25 years in tech companies and 10+ years working with non-profit organizations in development, marketing and communications. Recently her passion for nutrition and health inspired her to become certified as a health coach. While her expertise encompasses an understanding of nutrition, holistic wellness, and coaching techniques, her ultimate motivation lies in making a positive impact on the local community, particularly in addressing issues of food equity and accessibility. Given the obvious health benefits of fresh produce, FFE presents an exceptional opportunity for Lee to give back while working with local farms to bolster both the sustainability of their business while also increasing availability of nutrient-rich foods for those who are hungry.
Lee currently volunteers with Preble Street to better understand the health needs of the local Portland unhoused and sheltered communities. With an eye toward "food as medicine" she seeks opportunities to impact policy and programs to support increasing access to nutritious food. Lee also serves on the Advisory Committee for Third Thought, a program that works with high school students to instill empathy and the skills of dialogue to help prepare the next generation of civic leaders to address today’s urgent challenge of destabilizing and paralyzing political polarization.
Having recently exited the ranks of full-time employment, and in addition to her work on food equity, she can be found on the water, enjoying the snow, playing platform tennis or cooking up a creative mixture of fresh veggies!
“Eat your vegetables, have a positive outlook, be kind to people, and smile.”
Dan Buettner
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Finn Naylor joined the Board of Farms for Food Equity (FFE) in 2025 and currently serves as Marketing Director for Rosemont Market & Bakery in Portland, Maine. In her role, she works closely with farmers, food producers, and community partners to strengthen access to locally sourced food and support a resilient, values-driven food system.
Finn’s connection to Maine’s food community began early in life. Growing up around Rosemont, she spent time in the stores and witnessed firsthand the relationships between farmers, small food businesses, and the people they feed. Those experiences shaped her belief that strong local food systems are built on trust, fair partnerships, and deep community investment.
She is passionate about supporting local farmers, expanding food access, and using food as a way to build healthier, more connected communities. Finn is very excited to be part of the FFE organization, working to increase access to healthy, local food for all Mainers while ensuring that farmers are paid equitably for their work. She strongly believes that food is a public good, and that thriving local food systems are essential to the long-term health and resilience of both people and communities.
"Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning" - Gloria Steinem
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Jonathan Dunitz is an attorney at Verrill where he works with renewable energy developers, water utilities, breweries, distilleries and wineries, clients with insurance coverage questions and mediates disputes. He was the President of the Maine State Bar Association in 2024. He and his family were locavores before locavore was a thing. His father, grandfather and uncle owned the John Deere dealership in Orange County, New York from the 1930s to the 1990s and one way they supported their customers was by eating local produce and dairy. To this day, he prefers to shop for local produce, local cheese and wander the Portland area farmers markets. When Jonathan learned about Farms for Food Equity he was excited to get involved so that he could get back to working with farmers like he did at the family dealership, while also helping to put food on the tables of those in need.
A quote he is inspired by is “Danny, you can’t park there,” which is the title of his late father’s memoir. It was said to his dad by a family friend as his father – who had been in in wheelchair since 1952 due to polio – was about to park in a handicapped space.
ADVISORS
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With over 15 years working in marketing and brand development for Non-Profits, Kelin has found roots in the Maine agricultural food system and food security. Using her professional background to help Farmers be able to sell directly to their community with the online e-commerce platform FarmDrop.us, Kelin hopes to create a more equitable and sustainable food system. Kelin lives in Cape Elizabeth with her family and runs the design and animation agency Welborn Design.
"You don't need a silver fork to eat good food." - Paul Prudhomme
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Mike Wiley comes to the Board of Farms for Food Equity with over a decade of experience as a restaurateur and award-winning chef. As a founder of Big Tree Hospitality (Hugo’s, Eventide Oyster Co., The Honey Paw) Mike obsessed over ingredients, preparations, and strived to make the best sourcing decisions. Cheffing instilled in Mike a deep appreciation for farmers as cultivators of nourishment and community, as caretakers of limited resources, and as entrepreneurs trying to make ends meet.
The creative culinary impulse that motivated Mike’s time in the restaurant world gave way to more practical concerns surrounding feeding families, food scarcity, and humble nourishment. Mike is honored to join Farms for Food Equity in its efforts to end hunger, reduce waste, and support Maine’s agricultural community.
“The day is coming when a single carrot, freshly observed, will set off a revolution”
~Paul Cézanne
JOIN US IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE!
Are you passionate about supporting local farms and improving food access in Maine? We’re always looking for committed, community-minded individuals to join our Board of Directors or volunteer with Farms for Food Equity. Whether you bring leadership skills, hands-on help, or fresh ideas, your time and talents can make a real impact.
If you’re interested in getting involved, we’d love to hear from you—send us a message today!